System for controlling format

ABSTRACT

A system which accepts an input tape and provides an output copy having both preserved line endings and justified lines which are controlled and determined by means of a variable width control zone. The width of the zone may be varied to assure proper line endings. The occurrence of a total overlap of the zone will result in justified lines, whereas a partial, or no overlap will result in preserved line ending regardless of the side of the zone involved.

United States Patent Terry 3,676,853 July 11, 1972 [54] SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING FORMAT Inventor: David W. Terry, Georgetown, Tex.

International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk. NY.

April 6, 1910 Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

U.S. Cl ..340/l72.5, 197/19, 197/20 Int. Cl ..ll04q l/l8, GOSb 1/01 Field of Search 197/19, 20. 84; 95/4.5;

Relerenoes Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1953 Ackerman ..l97/1 5/1954 Higonnet et al.. 8/1958 I/196l COUNTER 3,141,395 7/1964 O'Brien 3 ,205 .996 9/ 1 965 Greenwood 3.386.552 6/1968 Lorber et a1.

3,466,604 9/1969 Sinnott 197/20 UX Primary Examiner-Paul .1 Henon Assistant Examiner-Paul R. Woods Attorney-Hanifin and Jancin and James H. Barksdale [57] ABSTRACT A system which accepts an input tape and provides an output copy having both preserved line endings and justified lines which are controlled and determined by means of a variable width control zone. The width of the zone may be varied to assure proper line endings. The occurrence of a total overlap of the zone will result in justified lines, whereas a partial. or no overlap will result in preserved line ending regardless of the side of the zone involved.

fiClahnsJDrawlngFlgure BEGIN POINT A COUNTER PANEL ENTRY END POINT B COUNTER TAB LENGTH C COUNTER PRESERVE TEXT CHARACTERS 2 g A CARRIER RETURII JUSIIEY CARRIER RETURN PRINTER CONTROL (JUSTIFICATION JUSTIFICATION AND PRINTER] COMPUTER) n Patented July 11, 1972 3,676,853

\ COUNTER BEGIN POINT A TAB LENGTH C LHWCOUNTER I4 TOTAL COMPARATOR D B CHARACTER Oz 8? COUNT D RECORO B2B IS a READER TAB COUNTER COMPARATOR RESET PARTIAL SUBTRACTOR CHARACTER DE= F COUNT E FSA 3 m II;

' PRESERVE g CARRIER RETIIIII JUSTIFICATION JUSIIFY AND CARRIER RETURN PRINTER CONTROL PRINTER (JUSTIFICATION 6 COMPUTER) TEXT CHARACTERS DAVID VI EBRI ATTORNEY SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING FORMAT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to tape controlled printing systems, and more specifically, to a system for controlling the format of output texts printed from an input tape under the control of a zone established by an operator at the beginning of the printing operation.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore, there has not been an efficient and convenient means of handling varying types of data which have been recorded with a non-justifying system and which are to be reproduced with a composer which justifies the text.

By justification is meant the spacing of text so that the printed characters extend to both the left and right margins. Many techniques are known for justifying text from records, such as those adaptable from the data processing arts.

Often one route followed is that the justification system uses information received from records carrying raw data in which the line endings are not specified on the data carried by the record. Therefore, preparation of the record by recording on a tape, etc., can be accomplished at a very rapid rate in the absence of special skills since there is no need to select line endings. Thus far, the discussion has presented no problems that have not been more or less solved in one way or another. The real problem surfaces when raw data is prepared with a non-justifying system in the absence of elaborate coding, and it is desired to produce output with a justifying system where not all lines are to bejustified. In other words, some provision must be made for determining when input line endings are to be preserved on output. Obviously, justification of addresses in business letters, for example, is not desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aforementioned type of problem is overcome by establishing a variable control zone intermediate the left and right margins, the overlap of which will result injustified lines, and the partial overlap of which will result in preserved line endings. The operator will determine the width and position of the zone between margins according to particular needs. First, second, third counters are provided which establish the left and right sides of the zone and tab lengths, respectively, through the operator making appropriate panel entries.

Fourth and fifth counters are provided to determine the position of the printed text relative to the left margin, while first and second comparators and a subtractor are provided to determine whether an overlap of the zone defined by first and second counters has occurred and to direct pulses to first and second AND circuits which control a justification computer and a printer.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide for both preserved line endings and justified lines on output produced by a composing system.

This and other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent when read in conjunction with the remainder of the specification and considered in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawing there is shown a symbolical and illustrative diagram ofthe system of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, there is shown a system which accepts input data from a preprepared tape and converts the input data to a printed output having both preserved line endings and justified lines.

The record carrying raw data may be prepared as a sequence of codes on a magnetic tape recorded special typewriters available for this purpose or the record may be prepared by any suitable means.

Frequently the raw data prepared with the non-justifying system uses characters and spaces of fixed width whereas the output of the justifying system is to be with characters and spaces of variable width. Input from variable width characters can be accepted by counting units rather than input characters. In other words, counts applied from an input tape will correspond in the event of proportional spacing to the width of the characters read from the tape and spaces read. In the event proportional spacing is not used, the counts will correspond to the characters and spaces read.

In the preferred embodiment shown, input data codes which have been recorded on a tape are read by record reader I under the influence and ultimate control of justification and printer control, or justification computer 2. Record reader I may take the form described in US. Pat. application Ser. No. 579,355, filed Sept. 15, 1966, now US. Pat. No. 3,46l,430. The justification computer 2, can accumulate the weighted width value of each received character and compute the interword and inter-character spacing necessary to produce a justified line of data characters. Justification computer 2 can take the form of a general purpose computer programmed in a well known manner to calculate the necessary spacing or the form of a special typography computer operable in a well known manner to accept unjustified tapes and generate a justified tape. When the latter type of computer is utilized, a counter control such as that described in US. Pat. application Ser. No. 578,791, filed Sept. 12, 1966, now US. Pat. No. 3,416,518, may be utilized in a well known manner to control the sequencing of operations performed by the justification computer in the operations performed by the remaining units and associated structure. When thus utilized, the counter functions as a state counter which is advanced or permuted to a different unique state upon the completion of each operation. The counter thereafter controls the operations to be performed. The utilization of a state counter to control the sequencing of computational operations is well known in the an.

The above mentioned patent applications are referred to in US. Pat. No. 3,483,527, issued Dec. 9,l969, to the inventor of this invention.

According to this invention, thejustification computer 2 not only derives its input from record reader 1, but from other portions of the system shown in the drawing which allow for both preserved line endings and justified lines. This input is affected indirectly by the output of reader I which sets the condition of counters 3 and 4 and provides pulses to AND circuits 5 and 6, and directly through line 7 where text characters are entered.

Counter 3 is a counter of the type which is structured to count and record a total character, space, and tab input, measured from the left margin, which for present purposes will be signified as D. In other words, the value of D can be the number of characters including tabs and spaces entered between the left and right margins which are defined by the operator selecting a measure count by well known means. Counter 4 is similar to 3 but is capable of being reset upon the occurrence of a tab code. A value E will be recorded which is the count from the last tab code to the end of the line. Both counters 3 and 4 are set to zero at the beginning of each line by the application of a carrier return signal or by a start-up signal when the reader recorder is turned on. More specifically, counters 3 and 4 are conventional resettable up counters. The count in counter 3 is the count of the data codes read from the record reader I including the count for tab lengths stored in counter 11 when tab codes are read by reader 1. Although the output of counter 3 is shown as two separate outputs, this is in effect one output which is applied both to comparator l2 and counter 4. The contents of counter 4, when tab codes are not read by reader 1, will be the same as the contents of counter 3. That is, as counter 3 is incremented, so is counter 4. Further, counters 9, l0, and 11 are used for storing a count determined by a panel entry made on panel entry 8.

The operating conditions are initially determined by the operator setting dials or making entries on panel 8. By doing this, a zone is established within the total line length between the left and right margins; the left terminus of the zone being value in counter 3 to give a value F which represents the length of unprinted text from the left margin to the printed text. The output of comparator 13, for this example where F is found to be 40, will follow line 19 indicating a preserved line A characters and the right being 8 characters from the left ending. margin. it will he noted that values A, B, and C are recorded Had the input line been such that the printed text extended by counters 9, l0, and 11, respectively; C being the number f from 20 input characters to 70 input characters, the output of characters iv lent to a tab l n d accumulated upon comparator 13 would have followed line 20 since both condithe occurrence ofa tab code. tions for justifying would have been met. Upon receiving the The output pulses from counter it provide part of the input carrier return signal, the justify signal is gated through AND to counter 3, whereas the output pulses of counters 9 and 10 ClfCllll 6 t0 j ll n mput r 2 her h Output of provide part of the inputs to comparator circuits l3 and 12, P 17 be ajustlfied line respectively. In the first example, D was equivalent to 40 characters Assuming a os ible tot l charagter ti l h f 30 which could in actual practice have resulted from a lengthy established by the operator setting the measure between the address a business letter and as Polmed out earlier l left and right margins, the establishment of a zone defined b cation obviously would not have been desirable. It can there- A and B where A is equal to 30 characters and B is equal to 50 be that a total Overlap 0f the Zone defined y A and characters will result in comparators l2 and 13 determining B f P 'l text b y F caumg f justlficatlon the path of output pulses to produce preserved orjustified line while 3 Wilmal Q p preselived endingsendings. If an input line is such that the printed text begins at more understanding mvemlo" can h l f margin d extends f an equivalent f 4Q input tamed from referring to the following diagram and additional characters, counter 3 representing the total input count D will examples- Left margin A= B=60 8Iglght margin 0 Line I Tab Tab Text CR Line2. Text OR Line 3 Tab Tab Tab Text CR Line 4 Text CR Line 5 Tab Tab Tab Tab Tab Tab Tab Text, CR

Line 6 Tab Text CR Line 7 Tab Tab Tab Tab Tab Text CR Line Tab Tab Text CR Line 9 Tab Tab 'Iab Text C R Line l0. Tab Tab Tab Text CR Llnel1. Tab Text CR Link 12 Text Tab Tab Taxt CR Line l3 Text Tab Tab Text. Tab Text CR Line 14 Text Tab Text CR Line 15 Text. Tab Tab Text Tab Tab Text C R Notc.Tcxt=prlntt-.d text=charactvrs and spares; (I :vurrlvr return.

accumulate the value of 40. The output of comparator 12. will follow line 14 indicating a preserved line ending. Upon the receiving of a carrier return code indicating the end of the input line, the preserve signal is gated through AND circuit 5 to justification computer 2 where the output of printer 17 will be preserved line endings.

Now, assume an input line is such that the printed text begins at a point input characters from the left margin and extends for an equivalent of 30 input characters to give a total count of 70. in this case the length of nonprinted text from the left margin to the printed text is counted by accumulating an equivalent value for input characters for each tab code. For each tab code sent from record reader 1 to counter 3, a tab length from counter 11 is accumulated in counter 3. For normal input characters the same value is accumulated in both counters 3 and 4. However, the value in counter 4 is reset to zero for each tab code from record reader 1. Thus, for this example, counter 3 representing the total input count D will accumulate the value of 70 while counter 4 representing the number of input characters E since the last tab code will accumulate the value of 30.

The output of comparator 12 will follow line 18 indicating that the first condition for a justified line has been met. The suhtractor is will subtract the value in counter 4 from the For each line it will be assumed that an operator has made panel entries setting the values of A, B, and C to be 30, 60. and 10, respectively.

Solution preserve Solution preserve From the above, the line endings relative to the control zone will determine whether justification or preservation is in order. Referring to line 1, the line ending extends from units to 80 units (right margin) and overlaps the control zone satisfying the conditions for a justified line ending. It is to be noted that in effect the line is already justified, but this circumstance will be handled in a routine manner by justification computer 2.

When reference is made to lines 13 and 14, there is no overlap of the zone by the line endings, and therefore, the conditions for preserved line endings are met.

From the above discussion, it can be appreciated that raw data can effectively handled thus lending economies to a process now requiring almost constant surveillance and elaborate coding.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to several embodiments. it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the Spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A system for controlling the format of output copy printed from codes input to a justification computer and printer from a preprepared input tape. said system comprising:

means for reading said codes;

means for holding an operator selected control zone count;

means for tabulating the total running count of data codes read by said reading means from said input tape from the left margin of said output copy; and

means upon the occurrence of a carrier return code being read by said reading means from said input tape for comparing said running count and said control zone count operative to provide signals to said justification computer and printer causingjustitied line endings upon overlap of said zone and preserved line endings upon either no overlap or a partial overlap of said zone.

2. The system of claim 1 further including means for holding an operator selected tab length count which will, upon the occurrence of a tab code being read by said reading means, form part of said total running count.

3. The system of claim 2 further including a second means for tabulating the running count of data codes read by said reading means from said input tape from the left margin of said output copy for determining said overlap, partial overlap, and no overlap of said zone, said second means being resetta ble upon the occurrence of a tab code read by said reading means.

4. A system for controlling the format of output copy printed from codes input to a justification computer and printer from a preprepared input tape, said system comprising:

means for reading said codes;

means for holding an operator selected control zone count;

means for holding an operator selected tab length count;

first means for tabulating the total running count of data codes read by said reading means from said input tape from the left margin of said output copy;

second means for tabulating the running count of data codes read by said reading means from said input tape from the left margin of said output copy. said second means being resettable upon the occurrence of a tab code read by said reading means,

means upon the occurrence of a carrier return code read by said reading means operative to provide a signal to said justification computer and printer causing preserved line endings upon the occurrence of either no overlap or a partial overlap and said zone, and

means upon the occurrence ofa carrier return code read by said reading means operative to provide a signal to said justification computer and printer causing justified line endings upon the occurrence of an overlap of said zone.

5. The system of claim 3 further including means for defining said zone intermediate the left and right margins of said output copy.

6. The system of claim 4 further including means for defining said zone intermediate the left and right margins of said output copy. 

1. A system for controlling the format of output copy printed from codes input to a justification computer and printer from a preprepared input tape, said system comprising: means for reading said codes; means for holding an operator selected control zone count; means for tabulating the total running count of data codes read by said reading means from said input tape from the left margin of said output copy; and means upon the occurrence of a carrier return code being read by said reading means from said input tape for comparing said running count and said control zone count operative to provide signals to said justification computer and printer causing justified line endings upon overlap of said zone and preserved line endings upon either no overlap or a partial overlap of said zone.
 2. The system of claim 1 further including means for holding an operator selected tab length count which will, upon the occurrence of a tab code being read by said reading means, form part of said total running count.
 3. The system of claim 2 further including a second means for tabulating the running count of data codes read by said reading means from said input tape from the left margin of said output copy for determining said overlap, partial overlap, and no overlap of said zone, said second means being resettable upon the occurrence of a tab code read by said reading means.
 4. A system for controlling the format of output copy printed from codes input to a justification computer and printer from a preprepared input tape, said system comprising: means for reading said codes; means for holding an operator selected control zone count; means for holding an operator selected tab length count; first means for tabulating the total running count of data codes read by said reading means from said input tape from the left margin of said output copy; second means for tabulating the running count of data codes read by said reading means from said input tape from the left margin of said output copy, said second means being resettable upon the occurrence of a tab code read by said reading means, means upon the occurrence of a carrier return code read by said reading means operative to provide a signal to said justification computer and printer causing preserved line endings upon the occurrence of either no overlap or a partial overlap and said zone, and means upon the occurrence of a carrier return code read by said reading means operative to provide a signal to said justification computer and printer causing justified line endings upon the occurrence of an overlap of said zone.
 5. The system of claim 3 further including means for defining said zone intermediate the left and right margins of said output copy.
 6. The system of claim 4 further including means for defining said zone intermediate the left and right margins of said output copy. 